When an Australia CofS member was distressed with approximately 3 months of incarceration he escaped using the following steps:

a) Escaped to the nearest phone booth. b) Phoned his mother. When the captors arrived and removed the phone from him, he screamed to his mother - call the police. c) His mother called the Police and explained the situation but was unable to produce the address where he was detained. d) The NSW Police arrived at the kidnap site and asked the Scientologist If he wanted to be released. e) He was driven to the Gosford Railway Station and released. f) For verification phone the Gosford Police MANN ST, GOSFORD AUSTRALIA. 61 (0)43 235599.

Why does the CofS Australia use these tactics? Does the CofS advise recruits that this could happen to them?

Regards

Tony McClelland
CultAware
Australia

Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Kidnap, Australia - anniversary
From: tonym@mail.mpx.com.au (Tony McClelland)
Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 10:17:45 GMT

It is now 2 years since a Scientologist was released by the NSW Police at Gosford,. The member had been incarcerated for 3 ½ months. Most of the time was spent in a Caravan.

The member was held under the rules of the Introspection Rundown.

The member escaped and ran to a public phone and called his Mother in Brisbane and screamed HELP, HELP. His guards arrived In a 4 wheel drive and re-captured him then returned him to the Caravan. His mother phoned the Gosford Police. She did not know where he was incarcerated but the Police located him within 20 minutes. They asked him if he was being detained and if he wanted to be released. He advised that he was being held against his will and the Police drove him to the Gosford Rail Station where he caught a train to Sydney.

The meeting of the mother and her son at the Sydney Airport the following day was one of the more touching moments I have witnessed.

I accept The CofS is a recognised Religion in Australia but many of their actions in Australia are unacceptable. CofS behaviour, including anonymous recruiting, hidden agenda and mind control techniques are denied by the CofS and hidden where possible. The kidnapping by the CofS referred to above, is an unacceptable denial of human rights and an inappropriate method of handling the needs of a person requiring assistance.

I believe that society needs to differentiate between the rights of a religion and its associated belief system, and the social and commercial behaviour of the group. The CofS asserts that any focus on their unacceptable behaviour is an attack on their religion, even when their belief system has not been referred to.

Regards

Tony McClelland